The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-01-03
AFTER MANY YEA rs.
a Lifo Prisoner In the Ohio Ponitentlnry
IM pardoned by Gov, Furnker. hHF.1sn

l
COLUMBUS, o., Jan. Presley Buck
master, the Oldest prisoner in tho Ohit
penitentlary, was pardoned to-day by
Governor Foraker. He was received from,
Coahocton county October 10, 1850, on a
lie sentence for the murder OF his vile
There are few men who survive twenty
years Of imprisonment, but Buckmsster
has toiled twen,y.aix years for tho State
behind the gray prison walls. In talking
with correspondent about bis crime and
Incarceration, Bucknaster sa;d: 3'
whisky was the direct cause OF nv
deed. l had been to, Mt, Olive that day, d
little place about three miles from home.
and was driving back worry much intoxi.
cdted. Upon arriving home found nv
vile gone. entered the house and &C.
cured hhosgun, intending to shoot some
ground squirrels which wore DESTROYING
things in the garden. l did not discharys
the gun, bat shouldered Ii and went to MI.
HatAeld's who lived on an adjoining farm,
where my vito was working. She WAS
milking the cows as entered the barn.
yard. and In a drunken frenzy discharged
the gun, the load taking elect In her lef.
thigh and the abdomen. mover knew
the circumstances surrounding the d sei
until aiterward, aud God will Judge me
sooner or later that never thou ght Of DO
Ing 1t until 1t Was DONE" "Hhcn did you
enter the penitentiary 2" II came here
October ID, 1860. have been here 90
years, which 10 longer thsu any other
prisoner now confined in thu p,ison." ~
suppose a great many changes have oc
CURED since you came here ?" ayes, a
great many. When entered here iu ,GO.
the treatment OF prisoners was aSful.
have frequently seen prisoner in charge
Of five or si1 guards who would beat him
shameiully. This was a frequent occur.
renee, and tell you many poor fellow
was drowned IN that ducking tub. About
twelve years ngo I saw prisoner shot III
the dining room. was told by the man
who BAT next to him that all the fellow
did was to upset accidentally & cup OF
water belonging to the prisoner at the left
Of him. lie raised up and was shot twice.
but recovered. About two ryeass later l
ssw, prisoner shot dead while otauding
In the ranks preparatory to being marched
to his cell: The follows name was John
Smith, and he has c brother here now.
Tho guard stepped up to him, drew his
revolver and shot the poor fellow without
q word OF wsrning. He died shout two
days later. Tbs cause assigned for euch
conduct by the guard was that the fellow
had something in his pocket with which
10 Kill him. After the man was sbo. moth
ing but cold chiael waa found on hia
person. i57 - -
did you sce much OF John Morgan,
the raider, when ho was coafiued here ~
Il saw John Morgan frequently. He was
confined in cell right there (pointins to
that part Of the wall WHARF The cell was
sltuated). saw both Johu aud Diok."'
did you ever hear anything shout the
manner in which Morgan escaped r.
Nothing definite, although none Of US
ever doubted that he blibed the warden
to allow him to escape. When entered
there were 7GS prisoners here. Now there
are over 1,4O0. My serial number is ,9l0
and the last number now here is over lS,.
74o, so that over $4,000 prisoners have
been received sinca I came. All that has
kept me alive Tor the past few years is the
klndncss shown me on every hand. The
warden aad everybody about the institu-
ton are extremely kind to me, and l have
everything want except libarty. en-.
tered hero when l WAS forty-one years Of
age end | am now almost seventy"